Tigers win second game in national championship softball tournament

May. 18, 2012

David Morrison

GULF SHORES, Ala., May 18, 2012 – Brenau Golden Tigers ace Anna Maness pitched a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and no walks Friday, May 18, to lead the Brenau team to an 8-0 victory over Talladega College for a second win in the national championship softball tournament.

The Tigers opened play in the tournament on May 17 with a 7-1 victory over against the No.25 Swedes of Bethany College of Lindsborg, Kan. At 6 p.m. Saturday, May 19, the Tigers face the No. 1 team in the nation, Concordia University, which finished the regular season with a phenomenal 54-3 record.

Pitcher Anna Maness

With a 39-14 overall record, the Brenau team received an at-large bid to participate as one of the final 32 teams for the double elimination national championship tournament, which runs through May 23. Although the pre-season No.5-ranked Tigers suffered some late-season losses, the team still has the No. 1-ranked defense in the country with a .977 fielding percentage. The Tigers’ pitching staff, ranked No. 8 in the country, boasts a 1.41 ERA.

Maness, a junior from Seagrove, N.C., was Southern States Athletic Conference Divisional Pitcher of the Year and a First Team All-Conference selection. Also still on the roster are two powers offensively for the Tigers – 2011 NAIA First Team All Americans Tiffany Schandera, a junior from Columbus, Ga., at third base, and pitcher Jenny Shepherd, a sophomore from Martinez, Ga.

This is the second appearance for the Golden Tigers in the national championship tournament. The team won the SSAC conference championship in 2009 and earned a berth to national tournament play in Decatur, Ala., but was eliminated in its third game by No.5-ranked William Carey. It finished the season ranked 12th nationally.